Pumpkin Skies
by Vulvarity
Summary: It was an absolute mess, he decided. Some sort of twisted love triangle/train wreck that Kuroo wanted absolutely no part of. Which was why the raven-haired captain decided that it was his duty sort said mess out. Was that the best idea? Probably not. But hey, if the idiots involved couldn't help themselves he would.
1. Pudding Head

His teammates noticed it long before he did.

Every time Hachimitsu was near him, she was always touching Kenma. Fingers against his wrist, elbow sliding against his side, thighs resting against one another, hands in his hair or slipping into his jacket to tug at the fabric.

Kenma never paid any attention to it. It'd become so normal that he barely realized she was doing it every time her skin would brush against him. So engrossed in his games, the setter never noticed how she was enchanted by him. His eyes on the device in his hands, hers skating across his features, memorizing every minute detail on his face. His mind on the battle between characters, hers on the way the tip of his tongue sometimes slipped out of the corner of his mouth and his eyebrows furrowed when he concentrated. His body tucked in on itself as he closed the rest of the world out, hers wrapped around his as she yearned to simply be close.

His teammates noticed it long before he did.

And that was not a good thing.

* * *

After practice at training camp, the team had gathered outside to relax together. They were staying at a private Ryokan alongside the rest of the Fukurodani Academy Group. With the sun just beginning to set in the sky above them, the teenagers were quick to dive into the barbeque their coaches had bought for them. The players of each school were mingling, chattering amongst themselves as everyone grabbed food and meandered in aimless little groups.

As usual, Kenma sat cross-legged on the ground away from the commotion, back hunched and his hair falling down to shield his eyes. With his PSP in hand, he was totally focused on whatever game he happened to be playing at the time. He'd even ignored the calls for him to grab food - something which several players noted with good-natured eye rolls.

A few meters away, a group of his teammates and several players and managers from other teams had gathered in a tiny bunch. Near the front of the pack, Kuroo was hunched over, shushing those around him as he motioned towards the setter.

"On today's episode of 'Nature Why You Do Me Like That' we see a tiny little kitten approaching the skittish kitty in hopes of sharing food and possibly affection. Will this be the day Skittish Kitty finally reciprocates, or will Tiny Little Kitten be ignored once again?" Kuroo spoke in a low stage voice, just quiet enough to not be heard by the two whose lives he'd chosen to narrate. Bokuto let out a hoot of laughter, but was wrangled into silence by the two managers standing beside him quickly enough. Kenma's head didn't even move from its position as he stared at the screen, and the girl approaching him had glanced their way but promptly focused on the pudding head once again.

Everyone watched in varying levels of amusement as Nekoma's "Not-Really-But-Kind-Of-A-Manager", Hachimitsu, trotted over to where Kenma sat with two plates of food in hand. The team had been quick to tell everyone that they'd finally gotten a cute manager - and by that, it was more accurate to say that Taketora boasted about it while the others simply went along with it for the most part.

Unfortunately for Taketora, the girl had been just as quick to clarify that she was simply helping out because Kuroo had asked her to. No one remained convinced that Hachimitsu wasn't going to stay on as their manager, though. Watching her interact with the team - especially Kenma - made that abundantly clear.

Hachimitsu knelt down in front of Kenma, setting the plates on the ground beside him. Tapping his ankles, she nudged his legs apart. Kenma's body grew pliable in her touch, and he didn't even look up as he spread his legs apart and lifted his PSP. Kuroo continued to narrate. "Here we see Tiny Little Kitten has decided to use a very bold approach. He's putty in her hands, yet still doesn't look away from his game! Will Skittish Kitty finally grasp what is happening? Stay tuned for more!"

Hachimitsu slid forward, wrapping her arms around his waist as she laid on her stomach between his legs. Burying her face against his stomach, she slipped her hands under his hoodie absently, tugging on his shirt underneath. Kenma simply rested his hands on her back, eyes still glued to his game.

"Ahhh, too bad, Skittish Kitty remains oblivious to the affection of Tiny Little Kitten. Tune in next week for our episode 'Are Owls As Smart As They Seem?' with our guest star, Bokuto Kōtarō!" Despite a few chuckles, the 'audience' were mostly in varying states of exasperation.

"He doesn't even realize what he's missing. She's basically throwing herself at him and he's too busy to notice." Taketora lamented, crying out his frustrations to anyone who would listen. Kuroo shook his head solemnly, patting the second year on the shoulder. A travesty it was.

Lev was the first to ask the most obvious question. "Why doesn't she just tell him she likes him." It was more of a statement than anything, but the fact remained that everyone wanted to know the answer to that question. Even Bokuto was staring intently at the two, leaning towards Kuroo as he waited for an explanation. Although the hand covering his mouth was probably the only reason he was quiet.

Kuroo rolled his eyes, hands planted on his hips as he continued to watch the two second years. "She has before, but he misunderstood what she meant. He thought she meant as a friend and told her 'thanks'." He couldn't help how his lips turned up into a crooked smirk as a few of the audience spluttered, coughing and shouting.

"You're kidding me!" Ōtaki Mako, one of Shinzen High's managers, exclaimed. Everyone around her was in agreement with her statement, looking at the duo with frowns and scowls. "That poor girl. You need to tell her." The brown-haired manager turned her sharp gaze to Kuroo. He simply shrugged, a lazy grin stretching across his lips.

"I've tried to. I've known her for years. Hachi is as stubborn as a mule. More than, actually." He laughed, ignoring the pointed looks he received from some of the managers. He'd done his duty - several times, actually. Every time he approached her and tried to reason with her about Kenma, Hachimitsu was quick to tell him that he was wrong. Having known the girl almost as long as he's known Kenma… he knew the only thing that would deter her would be Kenma telling her himself. Not that that was going to happen for some time, apparently. It'd been going on for years.

"He's an idiot." Yaku was outright glaring at Kenma, shoveling food into his mouth and speaking between mouthfuls. If looks could kill, their setter would be six feet under already. "An absolute imbecile. He's such a moron." No one missed the way he practically spat the words, annoyance dripping from every syllable. The looks shared between the managers in the group spoke volumes.

The captain's eyes slid to the libero, a smirk on his lips as he watched the way Yaku's attention remained glued to the duo. "So is she." He stated simply, observing in amusement as the libero turned his demonic glare on him.

Lev sidled up next to the two third years. "Are you jealous, Yaku-san?" Kuroo had to choke back laughter when the libero suddenly whirled on Lev and kicked the back of his knees, making the string bean crumple straight to the ground. Wheezing, the black-haired captain clutched his stomach as he doubled over. A few chuckles escaped the surrounding players at the extreme display of aggression.

"That didn't help your case, Yaku." Kuroo said, wiping tears from the corners of his eyes. The death glare he received was enough to make him raise his hands in surrender. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding~ no need to get so defensive." He smirked, slipping out of the way when Yaku aimed a kick for him. "It's been like this for ages. We met her in junior high. She got attached to Kenma, and the pudding head has been too oblivious to notice anything."

"That's so sad. Pining after someone who is so uninterested in you." Miyanoshita Eri, Ubugawa's manager, said softly. Her lips were turned down in an uncharacteristic frown as she watched Kenma and Hachimitsu for another moment before turning her gaze away. "I wonder what she sees in him that makes her stay."

"Maybe she really likes pudding." Bokuto's first words after being released from the grip of his manager were as idiotic as could be expected from the wide-eyed ace and captain of Fukurodani. The resulting groans from the surrounding players did little to deter the owl-captain from grinning triumphantly as if he'd discovered the source of all of Hachimitsu's problems.

Kuroo sidled up alongside his friend and patted his shoulder, grinning. "I'm sure that's exactly it."

* * *

In all of his eighteen years on Earth, Yaku had never met anyone quite so frustrating as Hayashi Hachimitsu. He'd met her during his first year of high school, when she had dragged Kenma along to one of the volleyball team's practices so they could watch Kuroo play. At the time, he barely spoke to the girl - even when she came up and shyly introduced herself at the end of practice to all of his teammates.

Kuroo had been quick to proclaim that the girl would become their manager the following year - not that that had actually happened. The moment he knew that she was there to watch Kuroo, he'd done all he could to simply ignore the girl. Not only was she friends with his sworn enemy, she was… very pretty.

Not that he would ever admit that out loud. If he had been honest with himself back in his first year, he'd have known that the real reason he didn't approach her was because of his inability to talk to any girl - much less one that he thought was cute. Instead, he spent half the year convincing himself that he didn't want to talk to her because of her connection with Kuroo.

When he and the bedhead had finally gotten over their differences, he tried to maintain the same line of thinking. Yaku failed on that front. Hachimitsu was quite possibly the most stubborn person he'd ever met. Even after he blatantly ignored her on the first day she came to practice, every time she came to watch she would make it a point to talk to Yaku.

It was inevitable that Yaku would eventually grow more comfortable with the girl and start talking to her as well. He quickly realized he'd been missing out before. Hachimitsu was insanely smart - taking classes several levels above what she actually was, and in several clubs including science and math. Not only was she at the top of her class academically, but she could cook and sing as well.

Hand-eye coordination, on the other hand… well, not so much. That was part of the reason she loved hanging around Kuroo and Kenma, Hachimitsu had told him once. They could do everything that she couldn't, so she thought they made a pretty great 'team'.

As time passed, and Hachimitsu began hanging around the volleyball team even more, Yaku found himself wanting to talk to her more. She wasn't afraid to joke around and make fun of her friends good naturedly, and could also hold a serious conversation. She was fun to be around, and before long he had become pretty much completely comfortable with her.

It wasn't until later that he realized how stupid he'd been for even daring to hope for anything. Hachimitsu was totally attached to Kenma - despite his indifferent attitude towards his affections. It seemed like no matter what she did, Kenma never paid her much attention outside of the occasional half-hearted hugs or one-or-two-word 'conversations'. Nonetheless, Hachimitsu was adamant that they were great friends and only ever doubled her efforts to get his attention.

Yaku was… baffled. At Kenma's utter lack of interest for the girl who was all but throwing herself at him. At Hachimitsu's complete inability to see how uninterested in her that Kenma was. At himself for thinking that he could even compete with the spell the game-obsessed teen had apparently put on Hachimitsu.

Yet, as the year progressed, and then he moved into his second year and the duo came to Nekoma for their first year… it was like Hachimitsu was the sun. Pulling Yaku into her gravitational field, whether he thought he wanted it or not. By the time his third year had rolled around, Hachimitsu had wormed her way into his heart and created a place for herself there. Even if she never realized that.

Despite his attempts to keep his feelings to himself, it didn't take long for Kuroo to pick up on them. When he'd blatantly asked Yaku if he liked Hachimitsu, in their second year, the libero had been quick to tell him that he did not. That didn't satisfy the scheming soon-to-be captain, though.

Kuroo then spent the next several months harassing- "helping" (according to Kuroo himself) Yaku accept his feelings for the girl and admit them out loud. According to the bedhead, if he never said it out loud, he'd never be able to accept them and therefore move on - if that was what he wanted.

Yaku had instantly answered 'yes'. 'That's what I want'. Looking back on it, he realized that Kuroo had never believed him. The lazy grin that had stretched across the middle blocker's lips was anything but belief. Yaku had been the only one to believe that lie. Which is how he got to where he is now.

Standing with Kuroo, Bokuto, and several other players and managers from the various teams at the training camp. Watching Hachimitsu approach Kenma. His plate of food, which he'd been slowly eating, was gripped tightly in his fist and his eyes narrowed in annoyance as he watched Kenma continue to completely ignore the black-haired girl.

Despite Kuroo's teasing remarks next to him as he narrated the two, Yaku couldn't be bothered to listen. The only thing he could hear was the voice in his head telling him that he should go over and talk to Hachimitsu, to pull Kenma up and yell at him until he understood what he was doing to his friend. He did neither of those things.

Instead, he shoveled food into his mouth and spat words that were mostly just him blowing off steam. Lev's moronic comment only served to further push the libero into frustration, and even making the giant silver-haired sack of potatoes hit the ground wasn't satisfying to his annoyance.

Kuroo was too quick to dodge around him, which was a great disappointment to Yaku. It was his fault, after all. If he'd just left well enough alone, then Yaku would've gotten over his feelings. Instead, Kuroo convinced him that he needed to accept them - which was a terrible idea, in his opinion - and now he couldn't get rid of them.

For every ounce of annoyance he felt for Hachimitsu putting herself into this situation, he felt double for Kenma's amazing lack of ability to read the only person he should've known how to read by now. And for every drop of annoyance, there was just as much exasperation, frustration, and just plain… hope. Hope that she'd come to her senses at some point. Hope that Kenma would finally pay attention to her long enough to tell her the truth.

Yaku's plate was bending and crumpling under his grip, the paper unable to hold up against the crushing grip he had on it. Swallowing the last few bites of now-tasteless food, Yaku shoved the plate and disposable utensils into the trash and walked away. A bath is what he needed to calm down, he decided.

Behind him, he could feel Kuroo's eyes on his back as he walked away. He refused to look back.

* * *

A/N: Why hello there! So this idea has been brewing in my head for quite some time, and I've finally decided to take the first leap of courage. Yaku, Kenma, and Kuroo are some of my favorite characters and I wanted to show them some love - especially Yaku. Updates on this will probably be fairly sporadic - once I get into a 'groove' with it, it may become more regular, but for now - don't expect weekly updates. I'll do my best, though! I hope you all enjoy this, and look forward to hearing from you! I would love to know what everyone thinks of this so far, and am happy to accept any and all constructive criticism!


	2. Herding Cats

"Ne, Ken-kun." She tugged on his sleeve for what was probably the thousandth time that day. "Ken-kun, let's go outside. There's a full moon tonight and I wanna see it." Hachimitsu giggled, leaning in and ducking her head so she could look at Kenma's face as he ducked it to pay attention to his game.

"Hm? 'Kay." His eyes flicked up to meet hers for a brief second, before he looked back at his PSP again. Even when she let out a delighted little squeal, the only reaction she got was a little twitch of his ears. Hachimitsu was quick to leap up and pull his arm as he stood slowly. Bouncing up and down on her heels lightly, she threaded her arm through his and led him out of the common room.

Most of the other players had dispersed to their rooms, so the trip to the back porch was without interruption. As it was nearly midnight, the moon had risen high in the sky and was easily spotted above them when they stepped outside. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky, so the stars and moon were on full display.

The smile that spread across Hachimitsu's lips was one of total awe and admiration. In Tokyo, the buildings were so clustered together with street lamps peppering every corner that it dulled the effect of the stars in the sky. The Ryokan was tucked away at the edge of the city, the only outdoor lighting being two traditional lamps that were lit on either end of the building.

A glance to her side revealed Kenma, still staring intently at his screen. "Ken-kun, look~" Hachimitsu reached over and tugged on the shoulder of his jacket. He glanced up at the sky, and she looked back up as well. In doing so, she missed the way his eyes fell right back to the game once again.

"It's pretty." Kenma stated simply, shuffling his feet as he pushed buttons on his PSP, trying to kill the boss of the level he was on. Slipping her arm through the loop of his once again, Hachimitsu leaned against him lightly as she grinned up at the sky.

"It really is! I love it out here. You can see all the stars!" She exclaimed softly, leaning against Kenma's side. Standing at one-hundred-and-sixty centimeters exactly, Hachimitsu was just a tiny bit shorter than the one-hundred-and-seventy centimeter tall setter. It was just the right amount to let her rest her head on his shoulder without it being too uncomfortable. Plus, she never had to reach far for a hug, which was probably her favorite thing about him.

No matter what he was doing, Kenma never was opposed to her hugging him. Whether he was in the middle of a video game, or just stepping off of the court after practice, any time she wrapped her arms around him for a hug he never complained. Half the time she didn't receive more than a little nudge in return, but she never minded.

From her point of view, she was just happy that he didn't push her away as so many others might. Kenma never complained about her touchy-feely-ness, and even reciprocated mildly on good days. He was one of only a few people that readily accepted her affection, and his easy-going nature had been all she needed to concrete in her attachment to him.

Hachimitsu had been lucky enough to meet Kenma and Kuroo when she started Junior High. She came to the same school as them, and was put into the same class as Kenma. Even back then, she'd gravitated to him immediately. Kuroo liked to tell people that she'd pestered Kenma into being friends with her, but she would vehemently deny that until the day she died. All she'd done was follow him around during gym period - talking to him excessively, according - again - to Kuroo.

Either way, after that first day, Kenma had slowly opened up to her and accepted her into his little circle of friends. Well, it was more appropriate to call it a triangle, at that point in time. Kuroo had been quick to welcome her in - eager to find someone else that wanted to be friends with the quiet little gamer just like he did.

Over the years, the trio had only grown closer. Wherever Kuroo and Kenma were, Hachimitsu was sure to be there with them. The trio were all welcomed at one another's homes by their parents, and walked to and from school together every day. While the two boys played volleyball after school, Hachimitsu could generally be found either watching their practice or participating in math or science club.

Or at least, in previous years she had done both clubs. This year, she took a bit of a break and instead joined only science club. It turned out to be a good thing, as Kuroo had asked her at the beginning of this year if she'd be interested in a manager position for the team. Initially, Hachimitsu had declined. Then, a few weeks went by and she found herself being pulled to the position.

It'd give her more time to spend with her friends, and she'd be able to watch the team practice all the time. Plus, and Kuroo's main point when he brought it up, it would look great on her resume. Hachimitsu had begun seriously considering it. She intended on giving Kuroo and the coaches her final answer after they returned from this training camp. It was why she was able to attend it - Nekomata had allowed her to come on the condition that she act as their trial manager for the trip.

Hachimitsu had accepted the offer immediately. She had to admit that now, four days into the camp, she was really enjoying the position. Helping with cleanup, getting water ready, organization, notes during matches - Hachimitsu found herself absolutely thriving doing it all. Admitting that to anyone… well, she'd wait for now. Until she knew for sure that she wanted to keep doing it.

The chill in the air is what brought Hachimitsu back to the present. In her sweat pants and a long sleeved shirt, she wasn't well-protected against the cold wind that had begun blowing around them. "Ne, Ken-kun, let's go back inside." She looked over at him, tugging on his elbow lightly.

"Okay." Kenma's eyes darted up to her for barely a second, and he was quick to let her pull him back into the Ryokan. The duo continued down the hall in silence, Hachimitsu humming softly under her breath. It was already fairly late, and knowing that Kenma would have to get up early in the morning, she diverted their path towards the rooms that the boys were sharing.

"Have you beat that boss yet?" Hachimitsu paused outside of the door leading into the room Kenma had been put in. Peering at his PSP, she pursed her lips and stared at the screen curiously. His character was leaping around, dodging and shooting the boss.

"Not yet. Almost, though." Kenma's eyes narrowed a bit in concentration, and his fingers moved rapidly to press various buttons. "I've died three times trying to kill him." Hachimitsu's lips parted and she let out a soft 'oh'. No wonder he'd been so focused on the game, she realized.

Wincing a little guiltily at having distracted him from the game, Hachimitsu nodded a little. "Ahh, sorry for bothering you, then. I didn't know you were still fighting the same boss." Kenma's ears twitched, and he lifted his gaze to meet hers for a moment.

With a shrug, he brushed off her concerns. "S'okay. I don't mind. You weren't bugging me." He said simply, eyes falling back to his PSP again as he did a series of attacks against the boss. Her lips tilted up at the corners and she smiled softly. He was always so understanding and easygoing.

It was habit - apologizing to him. Though he never made her feel like she had to, some part of her still felt the need to. Each time she apologized, though, Kenma was always quick to brush it off and tell her she didn't need to. It was a relief.

"I'll let you head in then. Night, Ken-kun." She grinned, wrapping her arms around the setter to hug him gently. He pressed pause on his game and wrapped an arm around her, lightly returning the affectionate gesture. Grinning, Hachimitsu pulled back happily and took a few steps back.

"Goodnight, Hachi." He pressed play on his game as he opened the door, sliding into the room and mindlessly making his way towards his bedroll. In the meantime, Hachimitsu had turned and was walking back down the hallway - well, skipping, actually. It wasn't incredibly often that Kenma returned one of her affectionate gestures.

Rather than go to the room where all of the managers were sleeping, the black-haired girl made her way down towards the courtyard again. There was something about the clear night that drew her back again. Being able to see the night sky so clearly, all of the stars and the moon. She wanted to bask in it for a little while longer now that she was in such a good mood.

Surprisingly enough, when she stepped up to the door leading to the back patio, she saw that she wouldn't be alone. Opening the door quietly, she padded up next to Yaku as he stood, gripping the rail and looking up at the sky. His ears had twitched when she opened and closed the door, but he hadn't moved to look at her until she stopped next to him.

"Hey, Yaku-kun." Her content smile was met with a small nod, his chocolate eyes watching her solemnly. Without a word to her, he shifted and looked back up at the sky again. Although he wasn't always particularly talkative, it was a bit strange for the libero to be so completely silent. Pursing her lips, Hachimitsu leaned against the banner and lifted her gaze to the sky. "You okay?"

She was expecting a short answer, or for him to tell her that he was stressed or tired. Instead, she got silence. For several minutes. Hachimitsu found herself glancing at Yaku every few seconds. Concern was mounting gradually.

Finally, his lips parted and he frowned. "Bad mood." His breath misted the air as he sighed, eyes glued to the moon. For a moment, she wondered if he was going to expand on that. As he stood there, silently staring at the moon, she slowly realized that he wasn't planning on sharing.

"Sorry. Do you need anything from me? Anything I can do to help?" She shuffled a little closer to him, peering up at him from the corner of her eye. He tensed, hands tightening on the banister where they lay. For a moment, all he did was open and close his mouth, then frown and repeat.

"...Thanks, but I don't think so." Yaku sighed again, straightening up. With a shake of his head, he glanced up at the sky again. "Have a good night, Hachimitsu-chan. I'm gonna head to bed." Inhaling slowly, he released the banister and stepped back.

She blinked, lips curling downwards slightly. "Okay. Night, Yaku-san. Sleep well." He lifted his hand in acknowledgment of her words, and stepped back into the Ryokan. As the door slid shut, Hachimitsu shuffled closer to the railing and pressed herself close to it, eyes glued on the sky. Yaku's responses, and mood, had unsettled her. Concern pulsing through her, she willed the feeling away. If he wanted to talk, he would.

For now, she would just enjoy the evening sky.

* * *

"Uh huh. Bad mood." Yaku's jaw clenched and he stiffened as he rounded a corner. Kuroo stood there waiting for him, brows lifted and arms crossed over his chest as he stared down at him.

"Stalking is pretty far below you, isn't it?" Lifting a brow as he folded his arms across his chest, Yaku stared up at Kuroo with no amusement. He really wasn't in the mood for this lecture again. He thought that Hachimitsu becoming the manager would be a good thing. Instead, all it brought was feelings of unease as he was confronted with his feelings for her over and over again.

Kuroo leaned against the wall, smirking. "Hey, the window was open. I was just being a good person and closing it so we didn't all freeze tonight." His cheshire grin was pissing Yaku off. "What's the worst that can happen if you tell her? You get rejected?"

His dark gaze was pinning Yaku there. Jaw twitching in annoyance, the libero found himself standing up a bit taller and his eyes narrowing dangerously. "Screw off. It's none of your business." It was frustrating. Having to deal with watching the two of them all day, then Hachi being concerned, and now Kuroo ragging on him again.

He knew that the easy thing to do would be to ignore Kenma and Hachimitsu when they were interacting with one another. That if he just looked away, he would be able to push thoughts of it away, and focus. It'd stop bothering him. It wasn't that easy, but how he wished it was. It wasn't his place to be annoyed for Hachimitsu, to be angry at Kenma, to be frustrated with her for not seeing it. Yet he couldn't stop it.

Yaku knew that. And he knew that Kuroo did too. "All you're doing is making things more difficult for yourself." Damnit, he knew that. He didn't need Kuroo telling him that. He knew that. "I know you know that." Cool, now the bedhead could read minds.

"Just leave me alone tonight. I don't want to talk about it." Without bothering to wait for a reply, Yaku stalked around Kuroo and all but dashed up the stairs. In the room he shared with his teammates, he glimpsed Kenma playing on his PSP and turned away to crawl into his bedroll silently.

Kuroo stood in the hallway where Yaku had left him. His arms slowly slid from his chest so he could rest his hands on his hips. A glance at the patio door, and then up the stairs, and the captain sighed to himself. "It's like herding cats." Shaking his head, he turned and meandered up the stairs.

* * *

A/N: Oh hey hi it's me again. With installment number two of Pumpkin Skies! Hope you all enjoy 3 Please let me know what you think!


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